Lucian had clearly seen through Silas' intentions.
Yet he showed no sign of panic. Instead, he calmly directed Gengar to withstand the pressure from the front.
Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Razor Leaf, Muddy Water, A barrage of attacks surged toward Gengar from all directions But it remained completely unfazed.
Floating in midair, its crimson eyes flickered as a low, eerie laugh echoed across the battlefield.
"Gehehehehe…"
The chilling sound alone was enough to make everyone tense.
Gengar slowly spread its arms.
Dozens of Shadow Balls condensed in the air, spinning violently before descending like meteors.
"Use Protect!"
Commands rang out instantly as barriers flared into existence.
Explosions followed one after another, shaking the entire beach.
At the same time, Gengar shifted its focus.
Sharpedo.
The moment it tried to slip past toward Lucian, Gengar moved.
A strange, distorted light formed in its hand and shot forward.
Confuse Ray.
It hit instantly.
Sharpedo's movements faltered, its eyes losing focus as its sense of direction collapsed.
It began charging wildly across the battlefield, unable to distinguish friend from foe.
Chaos spread.
The situation became completely one-sided.
A single Gengar was suppressing eight Elite-level Pokémon.
Silas frowned.
"This won't work. We need coordination."
No one responded.
The tension from earlier still lingered between them But their actions spoke otherwise.
Commands became tighter. Movements became sharper.
They had already begun cooperating,just without saying it out loud.
"Hold Gengar back," Silas said calmly. "We go for Lucian."
The moment the words fell, his combat suit activated, white armor enveloping his body instantly.
He stepped forward and charged.
The others reacted almost immediately.
"Right… no rules."
"No one said we can't use the suits."
Three more figures activated their combat suits and followed.
In an instant, four white figures closed in from different directions, surrounding Lucian at the center.
Behind them, Gengar was restrained.
Eight Pokémon pressed in from all sides, forcing it to defend.
Although it still held the advantage, it couldn't break free immediately.
Lucian glanced around at the approaching figures.
His expression remained calm.
Unmoved.
As they rushed forward, Silas subtly shifted his hand.
A thin spike coated in faint purple mist slipped into his palm.
Not lethal.
A paralysis toxin.
This was still training but he had no intention of holding back completely.
Lucian responded just as quickly.
His combat suit activated, and a beam of light burst from his palm.
Laser fire.
The others reacted instantly, deploying energy shields to block the attack.
At the same time, they counterattacked.
Laser beams clashed midair, creating flashes of light across the battlefield.
.....
As the sun dipped lower, the entire beach became a surreal scene.
On one side, Gengar fought alone against eight Elite-level Pokémon, overwhelming them with terrifying ease.
On the other, five figures clad in white combat suits clashed in close combat, their movements sharp and relentless, neither side giving ground.
.....
Mauville City
Far away, in Mauville City.
[Attention residents, according to the Weather Institute, the city will experience prolonged thunderstorm conditions.]
[Please remain indoors where possible and take necessary precautions.]
The broadcast repeated continuously.
Above the city, dark clouds gathered.
Lightning split the sky.
Thunder roared as heavy rain began to fall.
A storm had arrived.
At the top of Mauville Gym, Gym Leader Wattson stood silently, staring at the sky.
His expression was heavy.
"So… they've finally made their move."
"And now even the underground factions are getting involved…"
A knock came from the doorway.
"Master, the League has sent a senior investigator."
Wattson closed his eyes briefly, then nodded.
"Take them to the conference room. I'll be there shortly."
.....
Meeting room
Inside the meeting room, the atmosphere was tense.
Gym Leaders, League officials, and representatives of powerful families had all gathered.
Among them stood a member of the Elite Four.
A blonde woman in an elegant purple dress spoke calmly.
"Are you certain this is originating from New Mauville?"
The red-haired investigator nodded.
"Yes, Elite Four Glacia. The storm is localized. It isn't affecting surrounding areas,it's centered entirely on Mauville City."
Silence followed.
All eyes turned toward Wattson.
A senior League investigator spoke next.
"Our preliminary conclusion is that something has gone wrong in New Mauville."
The room fell completely silent.
Because everyone understood what that implied.
A Legendary Pokémon.
Wattson's expression darkened.
"No one understands New Mauville better than I do."
His voice was steady, but heavy.
"This city was nothing in the past. I rebuilt it. Developed it. Turned it into what it is today."
"And now the League wants to interfere?"
His fist struck the table.
"That place is just an underground power plant."
"Do not get any ideas you shouldn't."
"Oh?" someone asked with mild interest.
"Is that a warning, Gym Leader Wattson?"
The speaker represented the Officer Jenny family.
Wattson slowly looked around the room.
The Elite Four.
League executives.
Ancient families.
Even the Joy and Jenny families had appeared.
All for the same reason.
Power.
He leaned back in his chair, letting out a bitter laugh.
"This isn't a warning."
"It's advice."
"The power of a Legendary Pokémon is not something humans can control."
"I tried, years ago."
His gaze dimmed slightly.
"That kind of power… you only understand it when you face it yourself."
"And don't forget It is one of Ho-Oh's guardians."
No one spoke But no one backed down either.
Because everyone present understood one thing.
Even an injured Legendary Pokémon…Was still far beyond human reach.
And yet No one was willing to give up.
<><><><><><>
(End of chapter)